Robin Williams dead at 63

1of 2According to his press agent, Robin Williams had recently been fighting depression.

2of 2Robin Williams won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in 1997's “Good Will Hunting.”Photo: REED SAXON, Associated Press

Robin Williams, who rose to fame on the “Mork & Mindy” television show and became a comedic sensation, acting in dozens of films and winning an Academy Award, was found dead of an apparent suicide Monday in his home in Tiburon, California, the Marin County Sheriff's Office said. He was 63.

Williams was found by family members, who called sheriff's investigators. Detectives and rescue personnel were dispatched to the home at 11:55 a.m. Monday. Williams was declared dead at 12:02 p.m. He had last been seen alive Sunday night.

“At this time, the Sheriff's Office coroner division suspects the death to be a suicide due to asphyxia, but a comprehensive investigation must be completed before a final determination is made,” a statement from sheriff's officials said.

Williams had recently battled “severe depression,” said Mara Buxbaum, his press agent, and it was widely reported this summer that he admitted himself to rehab for help maintaining his sobriety.

Williams had sought treatment for alcohol addiction and substance abuse in the past. In 1988, he told People magazine that he had used cocaine “to hide” but quit when his first wife, Valerie Velardi, became pregnant with their son, Zachary.

“This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings,” Williams' current wife, Susan Schneider, said in a statement.

“I am utterly heartbroken,” she said. “On behalf of Robin's family, we are asking for privacy during our time of profound grief. As he is remembered, it is our hope the focus will not be on Robin's death, but on the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions.”

“Nobody made the world laugh like Robin Williams,” David Steinberg, Williams' manager for 35 years, wrote in a statement.

On social media, many of Williams' contemporaries expressed a mix of shock and grief.

“I could not be more stunned by the loss of Robin Williams, mensch, great talent, acting partner, genuine soul,” comedian and actor Steve Martin wrote on Twitter.

“He gave so much to so many people,” tweeted comedian and television host Ellen DeGeneres. “I'm heartbroken.”

Born in Chicago, Williams grew up in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. His family moved to Woodacre, in Marin County, when he was an adolescent. He went to Redwood High School, where he overcame his shyness in the drama department. He briefly studied theatre at the College of Marin before he was accepted to Juilliard School, graduating in 1976.

Williams worked briefly at Sausalito's famous Trident Restaurant, according to former workers there, who claimed he once streaked naked through the restaurant on a dare and jumped into the bay.

He got his start as a comedian at Holy City Zoo, in San Francisco. He first played the alien known as Mork in the hit television series “Happy Days.” It was that stint that led to his starring role on “Mork & Mindy.”

Jonathan Logan, a 39-year-old San Francisco resident, said he saw Williams a few months ago on a street corner. The two locked eyes for a brief moment.

“I thought to myself, 'Now Robin Williams knows I exist.'” Logan said. “I was humbled and flattered. I feel particularly horrible for his wife. This great man had such a fragile existence, and now he's gone.”

Ron Deutsch, 57, a New York City resident who was visiting San Francisco on Monday, said it was the wide range of characters that Williams played that set him apart from his contemporaries.

“He was one of the most versatile performers I've ever seen in modern-day entertainment,” Deutsch said. “This is just absolutely shocking.”

The actor's death reminded Carol Emerich, a 64-year-old retired teacher from the South Bay, that depression can lurk under the surface for a long time and go unnoticed.

“You look at them and think they have everything,” she said. “Many people who you'd never imagine are depressed or suicidal end up killing themselves.”

Williams was a highly successful stand-up comedian who had a gift for improvisation and physicality. He got his start in Bay Area comedy clubs, moved onto television and, as his career developed, he also took on serious roles in movies and on stage.

One of his most acclaimed roles was in the 1987 film “Good Morning, Vietnam.” He starred in “Dead Poets Society” in 1989, “Awakenings” in 1990, “The Fisher King” in 1991 and “Good Will Hunting” in 1997.

Other notable roles were in “Mrs. Doubtfire” (1993), “The Birdcage” (1996) and “Night at the Museum” (2006).

Williams was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor three times, and he won Best Supporting Actor for his 1997 performance in “Good Will Hunting.” He received two Emmy Awards, four Golden Globes, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and five Grammy Awards.